Aeroplane suspension



H. A. CRAWFORD AEROPLANE SUSPENSION May 1, W23. mfimw Filed July 15. 1922 ammo z w? flu; wwwforw,

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l 4mg mni i will that .lliElttUlP'lhlilllE Application filed Il'uly l5,

11% all whom it may concern lie it known that l, ltlnnnr it. Cnawronn, a citizen ot the United States, residing in 'llfulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of tltahoma, have invented certain new and useful improvements in llieroplane Suspensions, for which the following is a full and complete specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

lldly invention consists of means for suspending an aeroplane during its flight either as an amusement device for industrial purposes or for instruction purposes. lit has been proposed to suspend an airship during its flight as an amusement device so that nissengers maybe carried in the machine and given the sensation of actual flight without the attendant risks. Tn. like manner, novices have been instructed in the manipulation of an airplane in flight while the same is constrained to move in a definite limited path. in eithe case the path of the airship has been a one-way circuit or analogous structure all of which prevent travel in opposits directions over the same course. llt is an obiect of my invention to provide means whereby the airplane may be propolled under its own power and guidance back and forth over a single supporting cable. Other advantages of my device will appear from the following, description and accompanying drawings in which latter,

lFigg. 1 is a side elevation, and

2 is a plane view of the suspending means and associated airplane.

ldy way of example, l have illustrated an aeroplane 1 which is of conventional type and including propeller 2, landing gear 8, wings 4t, rudder 5 and rear elevating means 6. The fuselage is open as at 'l' to form a compartment in which there is a drivers seat 8 and passenger seats 9. Conventional means are included for produclno; the power and for accomplishing; the customary elevating and guidinn" movements.

A. sling, denoted generally by the numeral '10, consists of a rigid forward framework having two vertical beams 11 connected. at top and bottom by the cross bars 12 and 1% respectively. This frame is substantially the width of the fuselage and somewhat higher than the distance between the bottom of the fuselage and the top of the wings. The 'fllSQlflQfGltS'tEi upon the bottom cross bars and is held from lateral i'noveinent Ell? Ttl'lhldlli, UllILltl llUltMt.

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with respect to the frame by means of the 1 vertical bars, 11, ll, of the latter. This frame is placed in front of the point of at tachmcnt of the running gear 3, and the frame is firmly attached to the fuselage.

tlubstantially the rear of the passenger pendent upon the location of the weights in the airship, it being evident that it is essential. to provide an even keel for the aeroplane during" its suspension. Supporting wires 17 extend upward from the upper cross bars 12 and 1 1- of the frames and connected to the ends of the longitud strut 18. A wire 19 is connected wit :iorward part of the strut 18 at one end. similar wire is connected to the rear portion of the strut. The free ends of the w ites 19 and 20 are fastened to the ring 21.

The rinn; 21 forms one part of a swivel, the opposite part of which is the member 22. The eye of the member 22 is held within a U- shaped strap 23 which depends upon the truck let. The truck 24; is supported on two rollers 25 as indicated.

The rollers 25 have recessed outer surfaces adapted to ride upon the cable-way 26. This cable-way is adapted to be stretched taut between two supporting stations 27 and 28. These supporting stations may be built upwardly from the level of the ground a short distance or may be located on opposite sides of a natural valley or run-way.

The aeroplane maybe loaded with passengers or ballast and driver installed in the ap propriate place. Operating under its own motive power and subject, in a limited extent. to the influence of its wings and elevator, the machine is propelled forwardly in the general direction of a cable 26. During this movement the airplane may have a tendency to lift its weight from the forward and rear planes but is not freed therefrom. During the travel of the machine, it may be turned slightly to the right or left. However, this deviation from the straight path is limited by the amount of freedom allowed by the sling l0 and the cable 26. In

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this lateral movement the swivel connection 21, 22, permits the greatest turning freedom between the truck 24 and the sling 10.

When the aeroplane has reached the farther limit of the cable 26 the aviator may use the customary rudder 5 to turn the machine around in short radius as permitted by the sling l0 and swivel connection 21, 22. After having been turned around the aeroplane will then travel along the cable in the reverse direction.

In this manner the aeroplane may be made to simulate the conditions and movements of actual flight with the running gear u off the ground and yet suspended from the relatively fixed cable 26. The occupants of the airship thus experience the actual flying conditions and may be trained in the manipulation as a preliminary to actual. independent flight.

lVhile I have shown one form which my invention may take, nevertheless many changes may be made in minor details without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with an aeroplane, a track suspending means for the aeroplane including a. truck on said track, a sling and a connection between the sling and truck.

2. In combination with an aeroplane, a track, suspending means for the aeroplane including a truck on said track, a sling and a swivel connecting the sling and the truck.

3. In combination, a flexible track mounted between two fixed stations, a truck on said track, a swivel suspended from the truck and an aeroplane sling carried by said swivel.

4. In combination, a track, a truck on said track a swivel suspended from the truck, and a sling for an aeroplane including a plurality of spaced frames carried by the swivel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

I HENRY A. ORAVVFORD. 

